more deep impact missions?

[ehs40]

should nasa do more missions like this it generated lots of intrest so should another mission that needs this much precision be done again?

 

[john_316]

<br />sure why not.... <br /><br />if nasa wont then DOD could do it to test out ways to divert or partially inhibit a killer comet or asteroid from smashing us to lil pieces... <br /><br />

 

[vogon13]

Probably too late now, but I find myself wishing Deep Impact had been launched into a resonant orbit around the sun with comet Tempel I. IIRC, comets period is ~5.5 years, and a 33 month orbit, or a 22 month orbit for Deep Impact, would eventually bring it back to the same comet! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[cyrostir]

if I remember correctly I believe one of the camera's on the spacecraft is blurry for some reason

 

[ehs40]

i agree that a probe to watch a comet during its solar encounter would be a good idea

 

[scottb50]

Or land on it and relay data like the MER's are doing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[ehs40]

landing is also a good idea to

 

[cuddlyrocket]

The ESA Rosetta mission, currently en route, has a lander and the main ship will follow a comet in orbit.<br /><br />NASA should never simply repeat a science mission. Or duplicate what someone else is doing.

 

[vogon13]

Fuel to decel Deep Impact (for example) into orbit around Temple is 23000 miles per hour (for the flight path used). Cassini only had to decel ~1000 MPH to go into Saturn orbit and that took 1/2 of the fuel remaining on the craft. <br /><br />Cheaper to do what I outlined and cheaper seems to be what gets launched these days. DI could flyby comet every 5 1/2 years till craft expires. Voyagers have been active over 25 years so far, so chances of repeated Temple flybys would have been pretty good.<br /><br />Temple takes 66 months to go around sun. 33 month (for instance) DI orbit would encounter comet every other orbit around sun. 22 month one would hit every third. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>